Justice News

Federal Grand Jury Criminal Indictments Announced

United States Attorney Trent Shores announced today the results of the July 2018 Federal Grand Jury.

The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.

Melvin Louis Bailey, III.Obstruct, Delay, and Affect Commerce by Robbery; Carry, Use, and Brandish a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Hobbs Act Conspiracy. Bailey, 25, of Tulsa, is charged with conspiring with a juvenile to rob and robbing Walgreens by threatening employees with a shotgun and a handgun. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the obstruct, delay, and affect commerce by robbery charges; a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine for the carry, use, and brandish a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence charges; and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the Hobbs Act conspiracy charge. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

James Wesley Barnes.Sexual Exploitation of a Child; Possession of Methamphetamine With Intent to Distribute. Barnes, 70, of Tulsa, is charged with coercing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct and possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 50 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the sexual exploitation of a child charge; and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and a $5,000,000 fine for the possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute charge. The Tulsa Police Department is the investigative agency.

Jerry Matthew Berry.Production of Obscene Visual Representations of the Sexual Abuse of Children; Distribution of Child Pornography; Receipt of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography. Berry, 34, of Tulsa, is charged with producing, distributing, receiving and possessing graphic image files and video files of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each charge. Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Seth Jacob Bruss.Simple Possession of Marijuana. Bruss, 29, of Tulsa, is charged with 2 counts of possessing marijuana. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 3 years in prison and a $5,000 fine. The United States Probation Office is the investigative agency.

Rickie Dean Cole.Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition. Cole, 49, of Slick, is charged with possessing a 9mm pistol, a 12-gauge shotgun and ammunition after prior felony convictions. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and the Bristow Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Tate Lorenzo Dixon.Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Dixon, 24, of Locust Grove, is charged with failing to register as a sex offender. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The United States Marshal Service is the investigative agency.

Christopher Allen Hayes.Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. Hayes, 28, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a 9mm pistol and ammunition after prior felony convictions. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Mark Nicholas Jones.Bank Robbery With a Dangerous Weapon; Use, Carry and Brandish a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Jones, 36, of Sapulpa, is charged with robbing Commerce Bank with a 9mm pistol. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the bank robbery with a dangerous weapon charge; and a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of 7 consecutive years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the use, carry and brandish a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence charge. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tulsa Police Department and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies.

Jerald Michael Scott Newell.Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. Newell, 25, of Sand Springs, is charged with possessing a .380 automatic pistol and ammunition after prior felony convictions. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies.

Victor Nunez-Alvarado.Reentry of Removed Alien. Nunez-Alvarado, 22, address unknown, is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in June 2017 from Laredo, Texas. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the investigative agency.

Jose Peregrina.Reentry of Removed Alien. Peregrina, 43, of Tulsa, is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in January 2012 from Brownsville, Texas. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Humberto Toledo-Munoz.Reentry of Removed Alien. Toledo-Munoz, 35, of Tulsa, is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported in November 2014 from Del Rio, Texas. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement is the investigative agency.

Misty Dawn Weathers.Sex Trafficking of a Child; Sexual Exploitation of a Child;

Possession of Certain Material Involving The Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. Weathers, 36, address unknown, is charged with causing a minor to engage in commercial sex acts, coercing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions, and possession with intent to view the visual depictions. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine for the sex trafficking of a child charge; a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the sexual exploitation of a child charge; and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the possession of certain material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor charge. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.